The War of Resistance Against Japan: Starting with a Calm View of Life and Death

Liu Shunfa and Guo Fuyuan, who were dragged to the center of the platform, could only make "woo-woo" sounds.

They were forced to kneel on a wooden platform, with two soldiers behind them holding bayonets and rifles, the gleaming tips of the bayonets pressed against their backs.

The crowd below the stage was silent for a moment, then erupted into even more furious shouts and cries.

Rotten vegetable leaves, clods of dirt, and pebbles clattered and crashed onto the stage, hitting Liu Shunfa and Guo Fuyuan on the head and body, as well as the ground beside them.

Commander Wu did not stop them immediately. He stood silently, looking at the angry villagers below the stage. After a while, he raised his hand and pressed it down hard.

Two county brigade cadres standing nearby, each holding a megaphone, quickly shouted at the top of their lungs, "Fellow villagers! Fellow villagers! Quiet! Please quiet down!"

The noise from the crowd gradually subsided, but many people were still cursing and crying in hushed tones, especially the families of the victims in the front row.

Zhou Jindong walked to the edge of the stage and looked at the dense crowd below.

He cleared his throat, took a small megaphone from a soldier, and began to speak.

"Fellow villagers! I'm Zhou Jindong, the county brigade captain, the one who brought these two scoundrels back." He didn't waste any pleasantries and went straight to recounting the arrest. "The night before last, with the help of our underground party comrades, we cornered the traitor Liu Shunfa in the backyard of a grocery store on West Street. At the time, he was hiding in the house of the collaborator Guo Fuyuan, and there were people standing guard at the door for him..."

After finishing his speech, Zhou Jindong paused and looked at the villagers below the stage, especially the family members in the tent in front.

"Liu Shunfa, the Japanese devils used a few lashes and a few silver dollars to sell out the lives of his comrades."

Guo Fuyuan, for a pittance and to get some scraps from the Japanese, helped a traitor hide and acted as an informant for the Japanese.

Commissar Han remembered their testimonies clearly. Five lives, three contact points—all undeniable, irrefutable crimes!

"I have nothing more to say." Zhou Jindong handed the megaphone back to the soldier, turned and pointed to the two men kneeling on the ground. "Today, we're handing them over to the victims, to you. How you deal with them is up to you!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Guihua was the first to rush onto the stage.

She rushed up very fast, almost running all the way, and the soldiers who tried to help her couldn't stop her.

She rushed to Liu Shunfa's face, her eyes red as if they were about to bleed, her lips trembling for a long time, unable to utter a single word. Suddenly, she raised her hand and slapped Liu Shunfa hard across the face!

A crisp "snap" sounded particularly clear on the now quiet riverbank.

"You beast! Give me back my man! Give me back my man!" Li Guihua shouted hoarsely, slapping him again. Her hands were rough, calloused from years of labor, and she was strong. After two slaps, Liu Shunfa's face immediately swelled up, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Immediately afterwards, Aunt Li, supported by others, walked up unsteadily.

The old woman's thin hands trembled violently as she walked up to Liu Shunfa. She neither hit nor scolded him, but stared intently at his face, which was contorted with fear and pain. After a long while, she suddenly spat a mouthful of phlegm onto his face.

"God is blind... my son... he's only twenty-five..." After saying this, the old lady swayed and almost fell, but was supported by the county brigade cadre next to her.

Sun Xiaohu, Guo Binglu, Chen Ermei... one by one, family members came up, some crying, some cursing, some throwing stones, some pinching with their fingers.

Guo Fuyuan was not spared either; he harbored traitors and was also the target of curses and beatings.

The platform quickly became a mess.

Political Commissar Han and Regiment Commander Wu did not stop them immediately. After the families had calmed down a bit, Political Commissar Han stepped forward and said loudly, "Fellow villagers! Comrades! You have all seen and heard the crimes of the traitors and collaborators!"

Our comrades cannot have died in vain! The blood debt must be repaid with blood!

Now, on behalf of the Ningwu County Anti-Japanese Democratic Government and the Eighth Route Army Independent Regiment, I announce that, based on the demands of the masses and the verdict of the public trial, the traitor Liu Shunfa and the collaborator Guo Fuyuan are guilty of treason, betraying comrades, and endangering the War of Resistance Against Japan. Their crimes are heinous, and they are sentenced to death, to be carried out immediately!

A deafening roar erupted from the audience: "Shoot them! Shoot them!"

"Slay that traitorous dog!"

"Avenge Zeng Rong and the others!"

Commander Wu waved his hand, and four soldiers stepped forward, dragged the limp Liu Shunfa and Guo Fuyuan off the ground, supported them by their arms, and dragged them to the open space in front of the platform, where two shallow pits had been dug in advance.

The two men were forced to kneel by the pit. The executioners were two veteran squad leaders, both sharpshooters, whom Sun Bai had specially selected from the regiment.

"Ready—" Sun Bai shouted from the side.

The two veteran squad leaders pulled back the bolts, chambered rounds, and pressed the muzzles of their guns firmly against the backs of Liu Shunfa and Guo Fuyuan's heads.

Both men struggled violently. Liu Shunfa made strange "hoarse" sounds in his throat, while Guo Fuyuan kept writhing, his crotch getting wet again.

"put!"

Two gunshots rang out almost simultaneously, echoing across the riverbank.

Liu Shunfa and Guo Fuyuan suddenly lurched forward, falling into the pit. Their limbs twitched a few times before they became still.

Blood and brain matter splattered on the soil around the pit, quickly spreading into a dark red stain.

The crowd fell silent instantly, with only the whistling of the wind blowing across the riverbank remaining.

A few seconds later, someone shouted, "Long live the Eighth Route Army!"

Immediately afterwards, a huge, sustained shout erupted from the crowd: "Long live the Eighth Route Army! Long live the Anti-Japanese Government!"

"Avenge our fallen comrades!"

"Down with Japanese imperialism! Eliminate the traitors and running dogs!"

The sounds rose in waves, echoing across the riverbank for a long time.

Many people had tears streaming down their faces, but their eyes no longer held only simple grief.

Those who had originally just come to watch the spectacle and still harbored doubts were now caught up in the atmosphere, clenching their fists and joining in the shouting.

The public trial has ended.

The soldiers began to organize the crowd to evacuate in an orderly manner.

The family members were helped and comforted by Political Commissar Han and comrades from the county brigade, and then put on a donkey cart to return to the village.

Before getting into the car, Aunt Li gripped Political Commissar Han's hand tightly, her lips trembling as she said, "Commander...please...please thank Captain Zhou...thank you comrades...for avenging my son..."

Commissar Han nodded emphatically and said, "Don't worry, ma'am. Fighting the Japanese and eliminating traitors is what we should do."

The crowd dispersed, and the riverbank gradually quieted down. Only a few soldiers remained, clearing the area and covering the two pits.

Zhou Jindong and Wang Quan stood by the platform, watching the villagers slowly disappear at the end of the dirt road in the distance, neither of them speaking immediately.

The wind picked up even more, whipping up sand and dust that stung my face.

"Feeling better now?" Commander Wu walked over and handed Zhou Jindong a cigarette he had rolled himself.

Zhou Jindong took it, lit it with the flint and steel in Lao Wu's hand, took a deep drag, and the pungent smoke filled his lungs.

"It's exhilarating," he exhaled a smoke ring, "but the dead can't be brought back to life. When I think of Zeng Rong, Li Degui, and the others, and those destroyed contact points... there's a suffocating feeling in this exhilaration."

"Yes, it's frustrating," Old Wu sighed. "But this has to be done, and the people have to see us do it. It's not just about revenge, but also about setting a rule and setting an example."

Let this tell everyone that this is the fate of those who betray their own people and act like traitors. It also serves as a reminder to our own people: we must have backbone and not bend our spines.

Political Commissar Han also came over, looking tired, but his eyes were bright.

"The public trial went even better than expected. Just now, several village chiefs and headmen from the surrounding villages quietly came to me and said they would definitely tell everyone in their villages about it when they got back. The people's hearts are with us, and morale is boosted. Captain Zhou, your operation this time was of great significance."

Zhou Jindong threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it out with his foot. "Political Commissar, Regiment Commander, now that things are settled here, Wang Quan and I need to get back to Dongzhai Town as soon as possible. We've been out for several days, and we don't know how things are there."

"Alright, you guys hurry back." Old Wu patted Zhou Jindong on the shoulder. "Your county brigade has made the greatest contribution in this operation. I will recommend you for commendation to the higher authorities."

Go back and rest as soon as possible, but don't slack off on training. Reliable intelligence suggests the Japanese might launch new attacks on our base area after spring; we'll need your help then.

"clear."

Without further formalities, Zhou Jindong and Wang Quan saluted the two regimental leaders, and then greeted Sun Bai and Lao Meng. Lao Meng said he would stay with the comrades from the county brigade for two more days to handle some follow-up matters.

Zhou Jindong and Wang Quan packed their simple belongings, still wearing their unassuming old cotton-padded jackets, carefully concealed their weapons, and left the Lujialing camp while it was still early, embarking on their journey back to Dongzhai Town.

The journey back seemed to be faster than the journey there.

Both of them were fast walkers.

Wang Quan wasn't as nervous as he had been when he arrived, and he was talking a little more.

"Dongzi, do you think that if we kill Liu Shunfa and Guo Fuyuan, that old bastard Jin Wanfu will go crazy and seek revenge?" Wang Quan said as he walked, kicking away pebbles on the road.

"Definitely." Zhou Jindong walked ahead, his eyes habitually scanning the surrounding mountains and intersections. "Jin Wanfu has been operating in Ningwu County for so many years, his influence is deeply entrenched. This time he has lost face and his cash cow, he will not let it go."

But he doesn't dare to act openly now. The Japanese just suffered a setback on the riverbank and won't send out a large force anytime soon. Jin Wanfu's rabble, without the Japanese backing them up, doesn't dare to directly attack our base.

However, he will definitely resort to underhanded tactics, sending people to secretly gather information about us, cause sabotage, or offer a reward for our capture.

When you get back, tell the soldiers to be vigilant, be wary of unfamiliar faces, and that all households in the fortified areas should take precautions to remain hidden.

Wang Quan nodded, then asked, "So what do we do next? Just wait like this?"

"Wait?" Zhou Jindong glanced at Wang Quan. "Waiting won't bring victory. The Japanese want to sweep through in the spring, so we can't let them have a quiet winter."

Commander Wu is right, training can't be relaxed. I reckon Brother Yuan hasn't been idle in town either.

Go back and check the situation. If the troops are almost ready, we need to find a way to make things difficult for the Japanese devils and traitors.

Wang Quan's eyes lit up: "A war?"

"Small battles, practice," Zhou Jindong said. "If there's no actual fighting, even the best-trained soldiers are just for show. We need to see blood and hear the sounds."

The two talked as they walked, their feet never stopping. As evening approached, after crossing the last mountain ridge, they could see the familiar outline of Dongzhai Town, nestled in the valley, with wisps of smoke rising from its chimneys.

Instead of going directly into the town, they went around to the back of the Lao Jun Temple at the west end of the town. There was a small path leading to the back mountain, which was also a meeting point that the county brigade usually agreed upon.

As soon as I reached the edge of the cypress grove behind the temple, I heard shouts of "Hey! Ha!" and the dull thuds of wood hitting each other coming from inside the grove.

Zhou Jindong gestured for Wang Quan to stop, and the two quietly parted the branches to look inside.

In a clearing in the middle of the woods, seventy or eighty young men were practicing bayonet fighting.

They worked in pairs, wielding wooden spears, parrying and thrusting back and forth. Although their movements were still somewhat clumsy and their footwork not very agile, their battle cries were loud and their spirits were high.

Two people were standing nearby watching; one of them was Wang Yuan, the instructor of the county brigade.

Wang Yuan, hands behind his back, observed carefully, occasionally shouting, "Straighten your back! Stand firmly on your feet! That's right! Thrust out quickly, and pull back steadily! Don't just use brute force!"

Zhou Jindong and Wang Quan exchanged a glance and quietly walked over.

Wang Yuan saw them first, a smile appearing on his face, and quickly walked up to them. "Dongzi! My captain! You're back? Did things go smoothly?"

"Successfully." Zhou Jindong shook hands with Wang Yuan. "The person has been brought back. Public trial, execution by firing squad, right at the North Gate Riverbank. Commander Wu and Political Commissar Han asked us to give their regards."

"Good, good, good!" Wang Yuan said "good" three times in a row, clearly in a good mood. "You must be tired from the journey. I haven't been idle these past few days while you were gone."

He pointed to the soldiers training hard in the open space, their brows drenched in sweat, and said, "Look at these lads, aren't they starting to look like soldiers?"

Zhou Jindong examined them carefully. Most of these soldiers were young men from nearby villages, former farmers who used to handle hoes more often than guns.

I've been practicing for about half a month now. Although I'm still a bit clumsy, at least I can stand in formation properly now, and my thrusting and stabbing movements are starting to look more natural. Most importantly, I'm starting to get into the spirit of the fight.

"Not bad." Zhou Jindong nodded. "Assassination is fundamental; mastering it will keep you calm. How's your marksmanship?"

"We just had target practice this afternoon," the instructor chimed in with a smile. "Three bullets each. The results... were a bit better than last week. At least half of them hit the target. One talented kid even got an eight ring by chance."

A burly young man with dark skin who was resting nearby scratched his head sheepishly and grinned when he heard that he was being talked about.

Zhou Jindong smiled and said, "It's good that there's progress. Sharpshooting skills are honed through practice. We don't have much resources right now, so we can't practice freely. We have to think carefully every time we shoot."

After practicing assassination, my stamina was depleted, so it was a good time to practice aiming and firing, experiencing that feeling of 'being extremely tired but still having to stay calm.'

Wang Yuan nodded in agreement: "That's how it's arranged. Morning exercises and running, morning drills and bayonet practice, afternoon practice of aiming and tactical maneuvers, evening study of literature, literacy, and telling battle stories, teaching them how to use the terrain and how to throw grenades."

The schedule was packed, but everyone was full of energy. Knowing you were going to Ningwu to catch traitors, they were all eager to prove themselves, saying they wanted to hone their skills so they could follow the captain and fight the Japanese and eliminate traitors in the future.

"Practice alone isn't enough." Zhou Jindong walked to the front of the group and glanced around.

When the soldiers saw him return, they all stopped what they were doing and stood up straight on their own.